Truby gives this definition of Premise, “The premise is you
story stated in one sentence. It is the simplest combination of character and
plot and typically consists of some event that starts the action, some sense of
the main character, and some sense of the outcome of the story”

Basically, your premise is what makes you story unique. It
also is the foundation for your entire story—fail at the premise, you fail at
the rest of your book.

Example of a book without a stated premise:

Example of a book with a stated premise:

Okay, you’re going to laugh at me, but look at the first
line. It’s all jumbled and confusing. The characters don’t always jive, their
decisions don’t actually get them anywhere and no all the chapters in the book seem
to contribute to the actually story—without a stated premise, you didn’t give
yourself a starting point. You didn’t give yourself time to ask important
questions that develop everything—plot, characters, themes, nothing.

Now the second line represents fluidity. It represents a
puzzle that has all its pieces and no loose ends. Decisions the character makes
get you from point A to point B, and all chapters help the story—all because
there was a good premise.

Truby suggests that you take weeks to develop your premise
and the subsequent questions that will arise from that simple line. I can tell
you that I am still in the planning states for my second novel, and I have been
for weeks. Soon, I’ll have to begin writing.

He also suggests making a premise list that can coincide
with your wish-list (LINK).

In an attempt to use a book most people have heard of, I’ll
demonstrate the use of Premise:

Harry Potter:

Premise: Send a young boy to a school of witchcraft and
wizardry.

Questions that you could ask yourself after developing this
premise are: Where is the school located? How does one get there? It has to be
something magical. What does the school look like? Who is in charge of the
school? What kind of classes would witches and wizards take? Would it be like a
normal school? Are there going to be sports? They would be different sports,
nothing that normal humans would play….

See how that brainstorming works?

This is how I brainstorm, you guys might have a different
way, but all that matters is that you’ve developed that premise!